Journal box



Nov. 8, 1930. I D s, BARROWS 'x 1,782,055

JOURNAL BOX Filed Oct. 30, 1924 Patented Nov. 18, 1930 vUNrrEn s'ln'rizs).15.151211NTl Y i ma DONALD s. mnows, or ROCHESTER, imw Yonx, Ass9reNOn, nY Masini Assromrmra 'ro 'rma sumaron COMPANY, A CORPORATION or MARYLANn f JOURNAL nox The invention relates to journal boxes and Amore particularl to the lid mechanism by which-the j Ourna box opening is closed,vsaidv lid being adapted to be pivotally connected to the journal box to permit access to the interior thereof.

' The principal Object of my invention,`gen erally stated, is to provide a simple form of lid which may be re'adily, cheaply and advantageously-formed of cast metal.

Another object of the 'invention is to pro-` vide a lid mechanism for journal boxes, thel said lid having an imperfo'rate portion completely enclosing the journal box opening so as to p revent the entry'of dust, dirt or water into the box. x

" Still another object of the invention is to provide a journal box lid having an Vimperforate portion covering the journal box penzo ing,` said lid being provided exteriorly ofv the journal box. with spring mechanism #cooperating with the lid and box soas to firmly maintain the lid in either opened or closed position.

A still' further Object of the invention is to provide in a cast lid .having an imperforate portion covering the journal box opening, a hooded portion enclosing the spring mechanism, said hooded portion also enclosing a portion of the hinge lug and serving to prevent the entry of dirt and moisture within the spring operated recess.4

In the drawings: Figure 1 isa view in front elevation of a portion of alid constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the lid being broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention. Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the 11d and journal box, only a portion of the latter being illustrated.

Figure 3 is a. transverse sectional view of y the lid taken on the line 3 3 of Fi ure J2, the direction of view being indicated by the arrows adjacent the'ends of said section linje.

Throughoutthe specification and drawings like parts are\designated by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates ajournal box of the A. R. A.construction`having the usual to over Zand 12 hin ev lug i2 projecting upwardly from the roo 3 at a pointadjacent the forwardedge .4 of the journal box. The said hinge lug 2 is providedwith an opening 5 for the reception of the hinge pintle 6 by whichthe lid 8 55 is pivotally connected to the journall box. Thelug 2 is rovided with angularly disposed bearing aces 7 and 7 as is customary,

'said faces being adaptedto' coact with aspring mechanism carried y. the lid soas to o maintain the lid in closed or openv position. The lid`8 is preferably formed as an integral casting either of cast steel or malleable iron and is provided with a lip 18 'at the topland sides, the said lid-being' ad fted ie the wall. 9.ofthe' opening 10 ol the journal box l to prevent the entry of mois,-- ture or dirt within the box. The lid may also be providedwith interior flanges 11 and with a drip flange 12 so as to prevent the loss of 70 the lubricating compound, the flanges 11 serving to reinforce and strengthen the lid.

At its upper endthe lid is provided with a hood or pocket portion 13 ,which extends up- 75 'Wardly so as to partially enclose the lug-2. "At opposite sides the hood portion is pro-'- vided with ears 14 which are perfor ed, asA at 15, so asV to receive the hinge pint e 6 by -which the lid 8 is pivotally connected to the 8o jounral box. The hood`13 is provided with. an opening adjacent its lower edge 16, the wp ugpose and object of which will e herein'- after described.

Within the body of the lid and exteriorly g5 of the journal box there is provided a curved depression `or seat portion 17.- At substantially the point where the depression 17' merges into'the plane of the lid face, there is provided on opposite sides of the centena v pair of outwardly facing seats or lugs 1 18. On the interior face of the .hood 13 at a point adj acent the lower endfIB, there are provided bearing 1u 19 having curved bearing faces 20. In or er to provide meansfor resilientl maintaining the lid in contact with the lwap s of the opening 10,when the lid is in losed positionand'alsofor maintaining the 'd-in open;position, so as to-permitof free access to the 'interior of the journalbox, I provides. 100

torsion spring 21, said spring being provided with downwardly extending arms 22 each of which is adapted to seat upon one of the lugs or seats 18. Each of the arms 22 extends upwardly and mergesintoacoil23'andextending upwardly from the adjacentends of the coils 23 are the arms 24 which may be and preferably are integrally connected so as to form an inverted U-shaped member 25, said member being conveniently provided with a wearing shoe 26 which may be connected to the arms 24: by means of bendable clips 27. The shoe 26 is, as will be seen from Figure 2 normally adapted to Contact the face 7 of the lug 2 when the lid is in closed position. VThe position of the parts, that is the bearing faces 18 and 20 and the recessed portion 17 is such that when the torsion spring 21 is forced upwardly within the opening between the hood 18 and the lid 8, the spring is placed under a considerable initial tension, the said tension, together with the portions 28 of the lugs 18, serving to prevent the displacement of the said sprin Flgure 2, that the spring 21 reacts agalnst the lug 2 at one end and against the bearing portions 18 at the opposite end and since the bearing portions 18 are substantially in a central position with reference to the journal box opening, the pressure from the spring will be substantially centralized on the lid so as to force all faces of the lid into intimate Contact with the walls of the journal box openin The flange 8a is omitted along the outer ace of the hinge lug 2, as shown'in Figure 2, and in order to vcompensate for. the loss of metal at this point, I preferably rein'- force the wall of the lid adjacent the hinge lug providing an exterior boss 29 thereon.

A 11d constructed'in accordance with my invention provides a complete closure 'for the journal box opening and housing for the actuatmg spring, and the hood portion thereof overlying the hinge lug prevents the entry and accumulation of dirt along the face of the journal box forwardly of the hinge lug and at the same time acts as a water shed to prevent the entry of moisture to the interior of the journal box at this portion. This last functlon is materially assisted by providing the liange 8a completely surrounding the exposed portions of the walls of the ournal box opening.

I claim is:

1.. The combination with a journal box having a pivot lug thereon, of a lid pivotally forate portion completely closing the opening of said journal box, a hood integrally formed on said lid and adapted to partially enclose said pivot lug, said hood serving as pivot means for said lid, a torsion spring housed within said hood and reacting at op- It will4 e observed upon consideration of` -I-Iavin'g now described my invention, what connected thereto, said lid having an imperf posite ends against the lug and lid and a lug on said lid cooperating with said i rate portion adapted to completely close the opening ,of said box and being further provided with a hood portion rigidly outstanding from a face of said lid, portions of said hood 'ling adapted to embrace said lug, means xtending through saidportions of the hood and lug for pivotally connecting said lidto said journal box, and a torsion spring member housed within said hood, insertible therein from below, removably held therein by bearing portions and reacting at opposite ends against said lid and hinge lug.

3. A lid for journal boxes comprising an imperforate portion designed to vcontact. the entire periphery of a journal box opening and provided with a pocket, formed rigidly lon a facefthereof, for housing an actuating torsion spring, said pocket Vbeing forme with bosses for engaging and properly placj tion formed integral therewith on the outer .face thereof and providing a downwardly opening'pocket for a lid-actuating torsion spring, with intermediate coil portions, said hood portion being provided with bearing lugs for engaging said coil portions and means for pivotally connecting said lid to'a journal box, said lid being formed with means adapted to removably engage and ret-ain said spring in place.

5. A lid for journal boxes comprising a' plate portion designed to completely close the opening in a journal box, a hood portion extending from the outer face ofthe plate portion and forming a torsion spring pocket between said plate portion and the hood portion, said hood portion being provided with bearing means adapted for engagement by a removably associated spring and extended to form perforated ears for cooperating with a journal box hinge lug to pivot saidjlid to said box.

In testimony whereof I aiix mysignature.

DONALD S. BARROWS. 

